


The Point

by TonyLupo



Category: Star Fox Series
Genre: Cross-Posted on FanFiction.Net, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Mental Health Issues, Originally Posted on FanFiction.Net, Self-Worth Issues, Telepathy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-26
Updated: 2020-10-26
Packaged: 2021-03-09 01:21:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 950
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27205846
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TonyLupo/pseuds/TonyLupo
Summary: In the aftermath of the Aparoid Invasion, a hero learns that some enemies are best not fought alone.
Kudos: 2





	The Point

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: the Star Fox characters belong to Nintendo.  
> This is not a feel-good story. It’s about feeling bad, but there’s always hope. Just saying!  
> Rated teens and up because of it deals with mental health. Reader discretion advised.

9 ALW - Corneria City

In the light of a waning moon the destruction of Corneria City was less visible, but still very perceptible by the absence of the usual illumination from the skyscrapers’ windows and advertising screens. A figure was walking down the streets, casting a lonesome shadows under the few remaining streetlights. The halfheartedly enforced curfew had been lifted, but even so there was no one else around, bar a couple of CDF soldiers patrolling through the night.

As the man watched the crumbled buildings he walked past, and stepped over rubble that had spilled onto the sidewalk, an overwhelming sensation of hopelessness came over him. He had of course helped put an end to the invasion, together with his Star Fox teammates. No traces of the invaders they had fought remained, since they had managed to achieve a total destructions of the enemy on a molecular level. Still, it felt like it had all been _too late_. Large parts of the` city lay in ruins and the death toll was still rising by the day, as more bodies were found. Many more were never going to be found.

His teammates were probably still cherishing the victory in the hotel bar, relieved that the war was over, but he could not find it in his heart to celebrate amongst the ruins. That was one of the things that kept him awake at night, and which is why had left the hotel they were staying at, slowly making his way down towards the bay. He was vaguely aware of a black canine walking beside him.

He reached the waterfront and sat down on a low stone wall. A downed Cornerian carrier was lying half submerged in the dark water, resting on the bottom of the bay like yet another symbol of the destruction. Whenever a threat had been quashed, another more menacing one would appear, in a never ending spiral of escalating calamity. The black canine agreed. What was the point of fighting then?

Under his confident surface, he was skilfully hiding his lack of self-confidence. He was feeling like a shell, a void. Really, what was the point … of anything?

The fight against the Aparoids felt like it had been a failure. He was feeling like a failure. He wanted to disappear. He could take his Arwing and crash it into a space rock. Or even better, he could fly to the opposite site of Lylat itself, and dive straight into the fire of fusion. He would just vanish. Vaporise. That way no one would have to be traumatised by taking care of his remains, since there would be none. It was a perfect plan.

He didn’t hear the crunching of gravel under light feet until the footsteps were right upon him. He recognised the voice of the telepath, her Cerinian accent clearly audible even in that single word.

“Falco?”

“Can’t sleep either, huh?” the tall avian asked.

“How can I sleep?” The blue vixen sat down next to him. “When your mind is like a flare in the night from a sinking ship.”

He didn’t know what to say, but that didn’t seem to bother her. She just put an arm around his waist and leaned her head on his shoulder.

“May I take a look?” she asked. He knew what she meant, hesitated, then nodded. His recent thoughts flashed through his mind again, but this time backwards as she was poking around. And like her arm around him was warm in the cool night, he felt a soothing sensation in his head.

After a couple of minutes, Fox and Slippy appeared too. The vulpine sat down on the other side of Falco and put an arm on Falco’s shoulder, while the stumpy little amphibian plopped down in Falco’s lap, hugging him tightly.

“This is the point!” Krystal broke the silence. “The people you care about, and who care about you.”

“But what about the poor people who have no-one that cares?” said Falco, trying to hold back the tears that he did not want to show.

“There are millions and millions of people out there, so there’s always someone who cares,” continued Krystal. “You’re lucky who have a telepath at hand. Others might have to use a telephone.”

Falco felt the tears building up in his eyes, fighting his hardest to keep the sobs at bay, but the others noticed.

“You don’t have to play the hero around us,” said Fox in a soft voice.

“We know you are anyway,” added Slippy with a beaming smile and looked up at Falco.

“You can just be yourself around us,” said Krystal, so Falco did. The dam walls broke and the tears flowed out.

They sat in the moonlight for a long time, huddled together in a big group hug.

_This is the point. The ones I love!_

His thoughts were interrupted by the grumble from a stomach.

“Thanks, Fox!” exclaimed Falco with a last sob and wiped his blue eyes with the back of his hand. “You always knew how to ruin a moment!”

“Sorry!”

“I can think of worse ways of ruining a moment than with a midnight snack,” chirped Slippy.

“True!” said Falco. “Something must still be open.”

“I’m sure our telepath can find the brainwaves of a busy chef in an open eatery,” continued Slippy.

“Hey, my nose isn’t too bad at finding food either!” said Fox and pointed at his muzzle.

“Come on, let’s go then!” said Krystal and got to her feet, soon followed by the others. The four friends set off along the streets, chatting nonsense to each other while looking for somewhere to eat. And the point was, they were together.

**Author's Note:**

> I started writing this after having one of those moments, and tried to put a positive spin on it to pick myself up a bit. I decided to publish it because maybe, just maybe, it might pick someone else up too.  
> Sometimes our minds leads us down paths they should not go. Should you, the stars forbid, ever feel the same, do take Krystal’s advice. You need help and you deserve help. Even if you have no one else, there are numbers to call with people who do care on the other end of the line.  
> Apologies for putting Falco in a mood that’s probably way out of character for him.


End file.
